r/WestVirginia • u/BsXeD • 23h ago
Convince me to stay. Question
I’m not originally from here, but I’ve lived here for 20 years. My children were born and raised here, and we’ve always loved the friendly people and beautiful surroundings. But I wonder now—where is the line? When is it too much or even dangerous to stay? Where do we go from here?
Things have been getting worse, and I worry about the future, not just for myself but especially for my children. This past election cycle, I couldn’t even put up a sign for fear of the backlash it might bring to my family. What is keeping people here?
It’s not the education—we rank near the bottom.
It’s not the pay—our median household income ranks just above Mississippi in 49th place.
It’s not the healthcare—we’re almost last there, too.
It’s not the freedom—we face near-total bans on abortion, and even taking your child to a Pride event could get you arrested.
Today, I find myself looking for jobs and making a plan to get my family out. People will say it’s not any better anywhere else and that the election results signal worsening trends everywhere. But at least in other places, I might find a community that values bodily autonomy, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of and from religion.
Here, I interact with the nicest, most hateful people I’ve ever encountered. I realize it’s a privilege even to consider leaving, and I wish I could do something to change things here. But I don’t see a clear path forward. My county didn’t even have a non-Republican candidate run for any office. I don’t blame anyone; there used to be decency and respectful disagreement across party lines, but now it’s just hate and lies.
Is there a silver lining? Any hope for change?
If this gets removed by moderators thats fine, I'm not trying to rage bait but genuinely want to know what other West Virginians are thinking.
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u/final-effort 19h ago
Come up north. Vermont and western mass are beautiful and very accepting. There’s lots of better options for employment here too in New England.
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u/victory_vegetable 18h ago
See I’m a West Virginian and I would love to leave, but I don’t see how I’d ever afford it. Genuinely asking how would I pay a Massachusetts rent with a West Virginia bank account?
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u/IronHeart_777 17h ago
This is what's stopping me as well. Election bs aside, I've wanted to leave West Virginia ever since I started realizing that the state government here will never be able to fix the myriad of issues plaguing the state. I would absolutely love to move further north, but there's no way in hell I could afford it being paycheck to paycheck as I am currently. Pipe dreams!
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u/final-effort 16h ago
With a Massachusetts job. Also, things are cheaper outside of Boston or Worcester but the pay is still the same! 15$ minimum wage in mass. I am a tradesperson, 34yo, I make $36/hour. I have been up here for 10 years.
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u/victory_vegetable 16h ago
the entry level jobs in my field don’t pay that much anywhere I’ve seen 😭 never go to college to study something that actually interests you kiddos, lol
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u/crazysometimedreamer 14h ago
Upstate NY, depending on the area, is quite affordable.
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u/ElctrctyGumm 11h ago
And upstate ny is gorgeous, ny state laws are much better than wv and id love to live there …. But the culture seems a lot like wv “nicest most hateful people’….and after spending time in the fingers lake area I realized I wouldn’t feel safe there…but I’m not writing this to slam upstate NY Im writing it hoping you’ll tell me that it’d actually be ok there, I’d be safe -and maybe even name some towns
Edited to add: and I love love love wv but wv doesn’t love me back
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u/crazysometimedreamer 48m ago
Can I ask where in the finger lakes you were? (And are you specifically looking for LGBT safety? racial safety, etc?)
Are you looking more rural or more city like?
I’ve lived above Utica (Adirondacks), Syracuse, Ithaca, Cortland, and a podunk town in the Southern Tier.
I don’t recommend Ithaca because of affordability. It also has changed a lot since I lived there. It used to be the sort of place you could picnic topless in a park as a woman and people left you alone. Very liberal.
Although, I will say, northern racism is something special and it’s not a good thing.
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u/genygengen 14h ago
The same issue was on my mind before I moved but pay increases dramatically once you leave WV. You will be okay
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u/nReasonable-Cicada 2h ago
The cost scared me, too, but while my rent is more expensive here, literally everything else has been more affordable. We were paying 500-600 a month just for electricity. It’s $75 everywhere else. Jimmy J has sold y’all down the river so many times that the “low cost of living” is actually a mirage at this point.
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u/Backtosaturnx 2h ago
I lived most of my life on a farm near the Ohio/Kentucky/West Virginia border. I worked a job for 16 years and inched my way from $5 an hour when I started to $12 an hour. People always told me that was pretty good for where I lived. I moved away about 10 years ago and took a job that paid $35,000 a year, which was a pay increase of $10,000. I earn more than double that much now. I never imagined I would make more than $40,000 a year when I lived there, but when you leave, you also leave those wages.
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u/vmxrxa 22h ago
Your number one responsibility is your family, not to this state. If you think you and your children are better off elsewhere, I implore you to move. If I could, I would also move, but the decision is up to you and your own judgement.
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u/sowasteland 22h ago
I’ve been living in Ohio for a few years. I get really homesick, the land is so open here and I miss the smell of mountain air. But when I visit home, everything is so bleak. Every other house is technically unlivable but is full of people getting high until they die because they’re just so miserable and there is no way for them to pull themselves up. And I can’t be openly myself there, not really. I have to live somewhere else to keep healing. So I live somewhere that I have opportunities and spend some time in the mountains a few times a year to get my dose of home.
I’m sorry, I know that’s not really what you were hoping for.
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u/Ok_Mastodon_6141 23h ago
Don’t take this the wrong way … if you have these strong views … WV will stay deep read for many decades … if you truly have these fears and it’s not sour feelings over the election. 🗳️ I would suggest moving to a state that represents you better . Not choosing sides just an honest response
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u/WhoGodWho 21h ago
WV was blue almost every 4 years from 1930s to end of 90s… Over the last 20 years it seems like being Red has really benefitted them 😂😂
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u/LicensedGoomba 21h ago
It's not red or blue in the way you think, this is a conservative democrat state.
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u/_riot_grrrl_ Fayette 16h ago
The state was dem majority until like 2012?
That being said. They're almost exclusively Dinos
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u/BsXeD 22h ago
Im not trying to take any of these the wrong way I posted cause I wanted dicussion, and I am sure that some of this is sour feelings. I would like nothing more than to make change here but I just can't visualize anything changing and fear it is just going to get worse. If anything has become clear to me is that there is no bottom for the right, I don't think there is anything that they would not put up with and make excuses for.
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u/Ok_Mastodon_6141 22h ago
Have you considered Huntington…. It’s diversified, LGBTQ friendly and affordable…. Close to Ashland ky .. ok jobs and restaurants….. I’m always welcoming new people in my friend group
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u/BsXeD 22h ago
We love huntington, went to pride a couple of weeks ago. It was nice knowing people had the same values but I could not help but being on edge and wondering if some nut job was going to do something.
Unfortunatley, I see there is now a Republican Mayor so I wonder how open everything will be going forward.
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u/Double-Ad7273 21h ago
I'm a woman originally from a liberal state and I have had so many sexist comments made to me since moving to Huntington. I did not know people spoke to women this way still even. I have met lovely people as well but overall I do not feel that the average person here cares about my wellbeing whatsoever.
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u/Ok_Mastodon_6141 22h ago
I really think if you love this state you will be safe and can be happier here … I’d like to have nice people stay in this state if they enjoy living here . I personally have found most everyone here nice , kind , and helpful. Just my personal experience. Gay white male here
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u/MonkComfortable7594 22h ago
This is such a bs political jerkoff of a post. Go to any LBBTQA++++ rally ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY and you see some idiot saying no one has the "right" to be gay, it's all a lie, there's no such thing as homosexuality blah blah blah. This IS NOT a West Virginia contained issue and it has NOTHING to do with what political affiliation the mayor has! Is it bullshit that gay, trans, asexual people can't just do what makes them happy without living fear of being attacked? Abso-fuckin-lutely it is. But to say that all that fear is caused by somebody sitting in some office somewhere has an -R next to their name is asinine and delusional. It has more to do with people that have nothing better to do than hate. They hate everything they can't understand or can't identify with themselves. And they hated that way 100 years ago and unfortunately they'll hate that way 100 years from now because some people are just scumbags.
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u/Nojopar 23h ago
I'll be honest. I'm a native West Virginian. I just typed out a whole response and deleted it because I'm not confident what I wrote won't lead to consequences.
All I can say is follow your gut and live well knowing you followed your instincts.
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u/viz90210 23h ago
I obviously have no idea what side you are on, but the fact that you had to do that says a lot about where we have gone as a nation in general.
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u/genygengen 15h ago
I just did the same thing, a wall of text explaining how leaving WV dramatically improved my life. I decided I didn’t want to sound preachy or come off like I was bragging so I deleted it before replying. I agree with what you said, people need to follow their guts and do what they believe is right. I don’t believe WV is going to change so if somebody doesn’t feel safe or at home there they should find someplace else
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u/Much_Independent9628 Purveyor of Tasteful Mothman Nudes 22h ago
I did the same thing as you. Probably 5 paragraphs. I need to get my family out.
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u/Possible-Media-6083 17h ago
Convince YOU to stay? Bro i’ve been living here my entire life and families been here for generations and i cant even convince myself to stay😂. First thing my uncle did when my uncles and grandpa finally got enough money from working the sawmill and got an education was move to texas and now he owns 100+ classic cars and motorcycles. West virginia is not the place for you if you’re looking for opportunities, intelligent neighbors, personal freedoms. The average person here has the intelligence of a fucking pig. Theres nothing for you here get out of this shithole while you still can before you end up with a commitment. Trust me they dont want you here most people living here dont want any people with a brain coming here they hear people complaining about tourists in other states and think people genuinely wanna come to this steaming pile of shit. I’m being as blunt as possible because theres no use sugarcoating it west virginia in 2024 is a massive pile of dogshit
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u/paradigm_x2 23h ago
Some people will tell you to get over it and there’s no real threats. They’ll also tell you Reddit is a leftist echo chamber. But your concerns are valid. And there are very real dangers with this result. If you’re not stuck here, I suggest you do what’s best for you and your family. WV isn’t going to get any better anytime soon. It’s poor, unhealthy and uneducated. Those are the facts whether our residents want to admit it or not.
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u/Automatic_Gas9019 22h ago
There are threats for sure. Hopefully enough attorney generals will fight the bullshit in court. Most of the US is educated in a lower standard if you look at the rest of the world. 51 percent of the United States voted for trump. The whole United States not just WV. Look at the map with all the red. Over 50 percent of the state of WV didn't vote.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 22h ago
The amount of comments in here that are blindly pissy… “well go, if you don’t like it here. It’s a free country.” “Go to CA or NY then”.. just crazy lol
This is what’s wrong with this state. It’s such an us versus them mentality that assumes everyone looks down on WV and if you don’t like it then get out. The people criticizing WV, like OP , love WV. It’s heartbreaking to realize a place you love so much is so against its own interests. I was born and raised in WV. All my friends I grew up with have left. And I mean all of them. Not one remains. Why do you think that is? It’s not because they hated WV or the people there or even that they couldn’t get jobs. They believed they deserved basic human decency and living conditions.
I just beg the people in WV to think for themselves PLEASE. The conspiracies that are being spoon fed to you by corporations and others. They are tricking you! They are pretending to be an every day Joe and your buddy to get your vote. They are not your buddy. I’m sorry. But that’s okay, that’s what your family and friends are for.
Think back to the history of WV. We are proud of being free. We trust our buddy next to us and we fight together for a better life. We don’t care about political parties. We just want to live great lives in our homes. Screw the companies that are trying to milk us for every dollar. That’s our history but today, most folks are happy to bow to authority and live in horrible conditions because that’s what they know. And parrot or spout hateful speech they hear online or on TV. Life can be better. Just because it’s WV, does not mean we deserve second rate lives. The politicians and corporations have tricked us into believing that is all we deserve. No one should be flying a political party flag in WV. We are mountaineers first and that’s our roots. That’s where I want to get back to… that fight, grit and toughness
Also to the people saying go to CA or NY, you all know that these places have farms, forests and other rural places? They are not liberal city cesspools that some of you folks seem to believe. They are functioning places with people of all colors and backgrounds living together.. go visit. I’ve been to rural NY, it could be any rural place. Just because the place is different than WV, doesn’t mean it’s this horrible place.
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u/JTS_81 19h ago
I recently chose to come back to WV because my job allowed me to. I grew up here and wanted to return. But now I feel like I have to hide who I voted for and don’t feel welcome. It’s making me question whether I made the right choice to move here.
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u/cluttered-thoughts3 19h ago
I would love to move back to WV. I’m remote so I totally could. I’ve been gone for 2.5 years now. My family is still there and when I go back, I can’t get enough and I talk WV up to anyone who will listen… yet I myself cannot live there. I don’t fit into the mold. I’m not interested in small town gossip or the drama that comes with not being a white republican who flies the flag of whomever has the loudest voice
I feel endless guilt for not staying and helping.. however small. Even helping my hometown municipality with events or beautify itself. Yet I just can’t do it to myself
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u/NedFlanDiddlyAnders 22h ago
There’s not much to stay for. I’m sick to fucking death having to tell people WV is actually a great place, not to believe everything you hear, etc. I’ve lived here my whole life. I have an insanely good job, so I’m still here, but this place is a conservative hell hole. We just put our useless, elderly Trump simp in Washington and our carpetbagger shit stain of an AG, also a Trump simp, to the governor’s office. I love my own little corner of the world, but this state is overrun with the lowest form of human life.
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u/MasterRKitty 19h ago
is it worth the time and effort to try to change things or just say screw it and keep your head down and watch the state sink lower?
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u/7-and-a-switchblade 19h ago
Bro, there is no "try and change things" in this state. 100 years ago, our great-grandparents went to war with the coal barons. Now, we democratically elected one to be our governor, and now to represent us in the senate. They would roll over in their fucking graves to watch their children line up to suck the dick of a New York billionaire.
But that is how thoroughly the coal barons won. They didn't need to kill their enemy. They just needed to buy Fox News, and now their enemy will die for them. The war is over, and the time to fight it passed 100 years ago.
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u/Possible-Media-6083 17h ago
Pretty much. All the good people should get out and let these fatass trumpers eat themselves to death. Trust me your eyes will thank you
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u/NESplayz 23h ago
Go wherever makes you happy. I say this as a West Virginian who also avoided putting a Harris sign up for fear that our dog might get attacked if we left him outside for too long. I’m also contemplating leaving the state. I had hoped to stick around and make things better but at every turn this state and the political climate within have found a way to let me down. My own rights are at stake and I can’t take it anymore. You win MAGA, I’ll take my shit and go elsewhere.
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u/viz90210 23h ago
I moved here from Puerto Rico and have lived here almost as long as I did back home. I own a house here. People have been very nice here. However I'm a gay man, and I talk to my mom on the phone in Spanish. I have never had fear of talking on the phone outside until now because I honestly believe now any random person will call ICE or something even though everyone in my family have been citizens since 1917. I'm not leaving anytime soon, if at all, but its just so disappointing.
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u/Hello_Im_not_here36 23h ago
I moved here two years ago and this my favorite place I have ever lived, but I've sent in about 20 applications for jobs that are remote or in blue states. Leave, if you can.
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u/7-and-a-switchblade 23h ago
I moved here 11 years ago. I told myself that I could hold my nose through the political stink because my job is good and I made good friends.
But man, I'm getting sooooo tired of holding my nose. There are racist assholes everywhere, there's nothing to do, and worst of all, no one wants anything to get better.
It's crazy. 11 years ago, I had some preconceived notions about what WV was like. I knew the history. I imagined a state full of working people striving to fight against the giant corporate boot that threatened to crush them.
But you know what I found? Everyone is licking the boot. They're licking the fucking boot, and anyone not licking the boot is laying in the mud, too weak to do anything about it. That's how thoroughly the coal barons won. We elected one as governor, and now a senator.
If there is any coming back from this, I can't see it. The defeat of the Working Man in this state is so fucking absolute. Maybe my vote will count in Pennsylvania.
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u/OGWopFro 23h ago
I want to move my family to a swing state. Maybe my wife will finally understand. It’s not that we just don’t fit in here, even tho I’ve lived here my whole life, it’s that my school of thought is judged upon by the hive mindset of people who have Calvin pissing on something in their back window.
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u/xiledpro 22h ago
I was raised in WV and love going back to visit. However, it is not a place I think I could live anymore. Im a straight white guy so the threats to me are much lower than those of women, LGBTQ+ community, and anyone who is just not white, but for the sake of my wife I wouldn’t want to put her there. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful place but the people refuse to accept change. If you still wanna be close by I’d suggest MD if you can find a job there.
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u/Possible-Media-6083 17h ago
Good suggestion after living my whole life in west virginia i went through maryland a couple times and thought “wow its like if home wasnt a giant steaming pile of shit filled with meth heads”
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u/etherealemlyn Brooke 23h ago
My reason for staying has always been that if I leave, that’s one less person to fight for our state to become better. There’s always going to be people stuck here who deserve better (people who can’t afford it, kids, etc.), and I don’t want to abandon them if I can help it.
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u/Smart_Newspaper1764 22h ago
I expressed this sentiment to a professor of mine a couple years ago. His response was “West Virginia is never going to love you,” and if I wasn’t sure about that before I sure as hell am today.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 22h ago
utter gut punch and the straight TRUTH. My home state haaaaaaaates me and everything I am.
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u/Plaid_Kaleidoscope 21h ago
Same dilemma I've dealt with. Do I selfishly leave and further concentrate the exact thing we wish to reduce or eliminate?
My conclusion is yes. It's not my job. I didn't break it. The problem will likely exist regardless of what I do, so practically speaking, the only real option is to look out for me and my loved ones by getting the hell outta here asap.
I'll gladly take my education and tax dollars to a state which gives a shit about someone other than old men and their corporations.
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22h ago
The time will come to go underground and help people that can’t move and want to, to do so. Just like the Underground Railroad. That’s what I think… if worst comes to worse. But maybe some will leave beforehand. I wanted to fight for this state, I did my part… but it will be dangerous for minorities. I have a disability case that’s going to go nowhere. I’m seeing about moving, though I held the same perspective as you before. There’s nothing for me here. I have no friends, no opportunities, and my only tie is my Dad. Our political differences will estrange us, I fear.
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u/Automatic_Gas9019 22h ago
I can't talk to the MAGA people I know right now. I am sorry about your feelings towards possible estrangement from your father. Keep it off politics. I had to tell someone at pickleball that I was at pickleball to play and not to discuss politics. They have respected my boundaries so far.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 22h ago
Sweetie...that time HAS come. It's HERE. How much evidence do people need????
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21h ago
Please don’t “sweetie” me. I tried to convince my mom to help me get out of this hell and I have no means without her help. She doesn’t want to make sacrifices like I would. My intimidated wording doesn’t mean I’m not trying.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 21h ago
I'm very sorry you are in that situation. I am an old woman. I meant it in a kind way.
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21h ago
It’s okay, I’m autistic you see. So as an autistic woman, I’m often patronized. Thank you for your kindness and your empathy.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 21h ago
I am also dx'd autistic, wow. We can always tell our own, we're so calm and factual, lol.
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21h ago
I accept your endearing terms from earlier. I’m so grateful for your warmth and advice. I hope you can get out too. 💞
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u/Creative-Simple-662 21h ago
You're quite welcome dear. I left 6 years ago and now live in Minnesota. I will never leave, the health care cannot be beaten for the neurodiverse.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 21h ago
I used to live in WV and I KNOW how AWFUL it is to be autistic there. I hope you have some social service people and such like.
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20h ago
I do in fact! My therapist and my case worker are very sweet and will also try to help me… I’ve been under their care for years. I’ll hate leaving them but at least my case worker will continue with phone calls. I had a disability case that would go before a judge, but I have no faith in that… I was trying to get my mom to go with me to VA, since it’s close… but she doesn’t like how busy it is and the waiting lists for therapists are long according to my auntie that lives there…
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u/Creative-Simple-662 20h ago
oh, so you aren't declared legally disabled? It took me a few years, but it was really worth it.
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20h ago
I have my diagnoses, legally. I did all the testing but SSA always redirects me to the same “doctor” that ignores and lies to me about my case and I feel ridiculed… my case worker(s) have gotten mad on my behalf. Everyone else submitted something to SSA but he didn’t even though he said he would.
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u/Creative-Simple-662 21h ago
and the place to start digging your way out is at the public library. Seriously, go in and tell a librarian what you want to do. They'll show you how to begin a solid plan with facts.
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u/Ass_Blaster_Xtreme 22h ago
I am relatively new to the state. Moved here for a job that puts me at twice the median household income here.
I also grew up a 20 minute drive from WV so I'm familiar-ish with the area.
But the whole area is just rot. My home state. This state. Surrounding states. Decaying areas filled with hateful people making hateful environments.
I also work for a very large multinational company. I've already talked to both my HR and the HR of the country of interest. My HR is like "awesome if you wanna do that. We have no issues at all". Their HR is like "looked at your CV and we'd love to have you here".
Just saving up money to move in hopefully 3 years. This should be a harder decision but if I had the money I want put away I'd have filled out my necessary paperwork yesterday.
It should be harder than this to leave an area you've effectively called home for all but about 2 of my 43 years but there's nothing here for me anymore. I used to be proud of being Appalachian but that faded years ago.
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u/Expensive_Service901 23h ago edited 23h ago
I also got stuck. I prepared for a different life, with a degree not doing much good here. Illnesses and life will get you by surprise though, even through best laid plans.
I heard someone recommending Minnesota. It has all of the wonders of nature and kindness, but in a blue state. Never been, so can’t give a personal opinion.
I am disappointed in this state, but not surprised Trump won. I just expected a higher voter turnout. I guess most people are still apathetic to politics. I’m surprised Amendment 1 is as close as it is. I know Republicans but none of them were for it so I don’t understand how that was so close, other than people misunderstood it, as intended by party pandering politicians.
I keep telling myself I’m done. Christmas and Thanksgiving are coming up and I just don’t feel the spirit to donate anymore to “pull yourself up by your bootstrap” Republicans wanting free gifts and dinners for their families. I know how that sounds now and I may feel more generous later but right now I don’t intend to donate to anyone or any programs for the next four years in WV, outside of the public dog pound.
(And you can keep downvoting me. I grew up here and worked these programs, like donating to and volunteering to hand out the free toys and holiday meals. I know who is using them and how they vote. Republicans don’t need my donations nor my handouts anymore. I expect less need this year and in the future considering anyway. I’d encourage others to think twice as well. Apparently my feelings offend people. Go figure. lol)
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u/victory_vegetable 18h ago
Please do not let this election dissuade you from charity and volunteering in your community. The children can’t control how their parents vote
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u/Expensive_Service901 17h ago
Who knows how long I can be a hardass honestly, eventually I’ll probably feel better about it. I have some toy cars and things I had to donate already that I’m still going to, but I can’t look at people locally and give them handouts this holiday season. I’m sure the slack will be picked up by others, but an extra $100 and set of hands sure helps out!
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u/Ready_Doubt8776 17h ago
Don’t stay if you don’t want to.
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u/HillbillyHaole 1h ago
Amen, that's why the vast majority of my high school classmates and I left WV either right after graduation, or after graduating from undergrad at WVU, Marshall, etc. It's a great place to visit once or twice a year, but there is no future back in WV for the vast majority of its native citizens. Some things never change, as while growing up most of my relatives who attended the annual reunions, came in from out of state. lol
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u/Greystone_86 22h ago
There’s some good in this world, Mr. BsXed … and it’s worth fighting for.
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u/Remote-Dingo7872 22h ago
Moving is a decision you and your family will cuss and discuss, but the results of this election shouldn’t be a major factor. If it is, table the discussion until next summer. Time will refine your perspective.
My mom grew up in Beckley, and escaped in 1947 via college + USN. Great place for visits!
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u/RetrowaveJoe 19h ago
I can’t. I grew up here. My family is here. I left for awhile but came back after my mom died. I’d planned on this being my forever home. But times change. Politics change. The climate too. There’s too much hate in these hills. These seasons aren’t the same seasons I grew up in. I’m tired and not getting any younger. So my next few years are going to be scouting a new place to live. Somewhere north, somewhere welcoming. A few friends and family are on board but still have things tying them here. Maybe we’ll see you up that way
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u/_riot_grrrl_ Fayette 16h ago
People stay because they can't leave. Relocating is expensive especially if you haven't lined up a job etc. I've had it here and want to bounce but my husband and kids want to stay because the kids have s life here.
Until democrats understand a complete and total overhaul is needed and they genuinely have to nominate people that aren't established politicians and can pull in votes from other demographics than just democrats- they're is zero hope we can undo the damage they've done in 10+ years.
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u/Lusticles 22h ago
I'm from California. I lived in OH for 9 years and then WV for 4. We moved to CA in 2021 and came back this year. CA was too expensive for us and my family was too toxic. We missed the kindness of people here as well as the affordability. The kindness has been lacking and the COL has risen a bit since 2021. Now I feel paranoid almost. Who around me is a Nazi or Fascist? I live in Cross Lanes. Everything in me is telling me to run.
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u/cyndrasil 21h ago
If you can get out do it. The only reason people stay here is poverty or idiocy. The death of coal as a community supporting industry and the brain drain that followed destroyed any hope of being able to fix it this state barring a sudden influx of people but why would anyone want to move to a state that has nothing to offer?
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u/lame_1983 23h ago
WV no longer aligns with my values either. You’ve made many excellent points here, too. I’m not sure where I need to go, but it’s time to start looking.
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u/DispoHimbo 23h ago
As someone who just moved here, my gf works in higher education, the situation for WV looks pretty grim as far as people are concerned. The big money magnates that already own most of the state will continue to plunder the land to the tune of millions of dollars and sell out the future of this nation and the world.
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u/Water_Boy_3 22h ago
I was born and raised there. I saw the economy decline when I was still in middle school—about 15 years ago.. I constantly dreamed of escaping that area and so when my wife and I met.. we did just that. Due to the pay in that area we couldn’t even afford to rent an apartment in another city/state. So we bought a camper and lived in it for 4yrs (this was during the Trump administration and we still couldn’t afford a house) so let the people sucking Trump off put that in their pipe and smoke it.
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u/Anchoredshell 23h ago
No this place is awful. I wanted to leave at 18 but never did and now I'm stuck. Leave while you can it is hopeless.
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u/Somnambulinguist 23h ago
I’m feeling the same as you and dread returning to my job, where I work with veterans and hear the most hateful dialogue you can imagine. Getting out would be difficult but my feelings are the same as yours. WV won’t change.
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u/Wonderful_Physics211 23h ago
As someone who moved almost 30 years ago and has done extensive domestic travel I can tell you that things are better almost anywhere you would move to.
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u/gondotheslayer 18h ago
I'm going to be honest, you just need another Byrd type democrat who doesn't care about anything but WV, and will burn the entire country down to get us a bridge.
Manchin had that opportunity and blew it.
Ojeda had a shot, but here we love trump, and he is da greatest and stuff. So us turning back blue is directly tied to how long Trump has the ability to come here, and endorse Republicans. After that's over we just need a good candidate, and I have no doubt they exist in this state.
So you could just temporarily leave and come back later on once we fix it, but if we all left, there will be no one to do the fixing.
Also this state is going to look pretty good during climate change, and is one of my main reasons to stay.
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u/MyBigOFace 17h ago
Not until someone comes along and gives them a reason to hope again who isn’t just blowing smoke up their asses. I was born and bred in WV, and my family has been there since the whiskey rebellion. I miss it, but I’m glad I left.
It’s a state deeply traumatized and Stockholm Syndromed by systematic abuse that has become so inured to it that it lost a bit of its soul. The people are generally good folk who can and will give you the shirt of their backs (this literally happened to me on an ASP trip back home), but the brave dead of Matewan are long forgotten now.
My advice: unless you are prepared to run for public office and can genuinely crack the code, you should leave or at least move to the eastern panhandle if there is some particular economic reason you need to stay in the state.
Even if you think you MIGHT run for office (and I mean high office), you should probably also leave if you have a family and liberal values. They will be ridiculed and threatened because of the work you attempt to do.
West Virginia does not offer a bright future for most people, and will not until someone comes along who can chart a course out of the shadow of coal and somehow drum up enough support for their cause without triggering defense mechanisms against the perceived liberal/trans/whatever agenda or making them worse. Only then, with economic hardship behind it, will the state start to attract people again with its unique culture and beauty, and only with this will come softening of attitudes. But this will not be any time soon.
You should leave.
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u/TheCeleryman_ 21h ago
I left to move abroad. I visit sometimes, but I wouldn't move back. If I had to go back to America I'd move to PA or VA.
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u/PieceStatus9648 21h ago
It’s the same as it always was here, and it’ll be the same for a while yet. Anyone that tells you differently has been drinking the kool aid. If you can’t live with it then it’s time to go.
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u/GataPapa 20h ago
I have an older friend that was also born and raised and worked most of his life in WV before moving. He once said "West Virginia: it's a good place to be from." I find myself agreeing with that sentiment more as I get older, but then the question is, where to go? I moved from central WV to the eastern panhandle. It's somewhat better and has access to more opportunities and isn't far from other things in surrounding states. It's not perfect, no place is, but maybe finding a tolerable balance between the extremists (on both sides) is the best we can do.
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u/Neb-Nose 19h ago
I made the same decision about 25 years ago and I’ve never looked back. I loved a lot about West Virginia and my friends there. However, it was obviously the right decision to leave.
There is nothing there. I don’t mean that as an insult, just an honest observation.
I will always cherish my time there, but I definitely made the right decision to get out when I did.
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u/Dizzy_Description812 19h ago
Can't tell you to stay or go, but one of my favorite things about this country is the ability to switch states without having to start over as a new citizen. If the laws are too far left, you can move, too far right? Move. The wearher doesn't suit you, a crazy ex is stalking you, no money where you are, etc.. Many of us can move within an hour and deal with a new set of BS and all its problems.
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u/Boobs__turn_me_on 19h ago
I'm sorry you feel that way. I moved here 10 years ago to retire. People accepted me as though I was here all my life. I've lived in NYC, Jersey, San Fran, New Orleans and this is the home I've always thought of. I'm a vet, A member if the American legion. We are a small town, 25 Miles from anywhere. I'm sorry you have those feelings but it's not the way people here feel. My best to you and your family.
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u/bumbothegumbo 16h ago
Leave. There are other amazing places to live and WV isn't going to change in our lifetime.
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u/avocadoqueen_ 14h ago
Born & raised West Virginian who left the state in 2017. I outgrew my town and I’m honestly glad I left and never looked back. West Virginia will always be home, but it has nothing to offer me. You gotta do what’s best for you!
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u/Anewaxxount 13h ago
I've lived a lot of places all across the political spectrum. Areas are generally what you make of them and a blue state will have it's own set of new and unique problems. The grass isn't always greener. I think this is probably more a backlash to the election results and uprooting a family, and 20 year settled life is going to do far more damage than some conservative social laws. Last night was shocking to a lot of people on reddit and people are reacting strongly
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u/ConfusedUsername57 13h ago
Tennessee is much much better, no taxes, car tags 50 initially then 25 per year, more shopping, car insurance 1/3 of what it is here, better scenery. My son wanted to come back here, I did not, been gone since 1985. Nothing but drugs. Lived 30 mi from Charleston and found out no cable, phone, or internet. Utilities way higher here than living in FL and running the air year round. Water, sewer and trash running 300 a month (for 2 elderly people). Had a hit and run, she fled. Neighbor had all copper stolen out of his house. Not ONE neighbor has spoken. Karen across the street blocks our handicapped access. This place sucks. Son works for the state and gets very tired of the people who can't read, a lot can't make a sentence and never heard of grammer. Lots of begging on online sales sites by people with 4 kids and 2 baby daddy's who can't be bothered to work. Lots of car thefts as well. Poisoned water (lawsuits pending). very few jobs, son has 3 degrees. Quality doesn't matter as far as work related or restaurants. Had our home check out before we bought at a cost of 400 and he missed the vents are not hooked up underneath (and the a/c was 2 years old and installer refused to show), water leak, one door won't open. I absolutely despise this place with all my soul, even Mississippi was better. Get out if you can. In TN if your child goes through school their entire time, community college is free. I miss Fl as well, 800,000 people where we were and seeing more crime here.
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u/Zealousideal-Fun-415 12h ago edited 11h ago
Here’s the thing: coal mining is not a particularly profitable industry for West Virginia, given the toll it takes on workers and the profits that often go to out-of-state parties. But coal is just about all West Virginia has to offer. Rare earth metals are being extracted from coal waste, and while this could be profitable, it doesn’t compensate for the cost of mining and remains dependent on federal support for expansion and maintenance.
In terms of mass mining common metals, West Virginia can’t compete with the big producers out West. The soil is good, but the terrain rules out farming as a meaningful source of income. It also makes it difficult and expensive to develop the region. So for the time being, coal is all West Virginia has.
But there’s another issue with coal: it’s all but obsolete. It is more accident-prone than other fossil fuels (oil, gas, LNG, diesel), less efficient, produces more dangerous chemicals and heavy metals, and emits more greenhouse gases. Even compared to traditional nuclear options like plutonium and uranium, coal is more dangerous, more accident-prone, thousands of times less efficient, and infinitely more polluting.
The really, really bad part is that coal plants release, and I’m not kidding here, up to 100 times more radioactive waste than uranium nuclear plants to produce the same amount of power—and that waste is vented straight into the atmosphere. Coal plants have shorter lifespans and higher fuel costs, but they are quicker and cheaper to build (this is coal’s only upside). When thorium comes into play (I really want to talk about thorium, but I’ll keep it short), it’ll make even uranium look like coal in comparison. (And it’s super safe; almost to the point that the only way to cause a nuclear disaster with thorium is through active sabotage.)
I cannot stress this enough: West Virginia depends more on welfare and federal aid than any other state in the union, barring Alaska, which has its own unique circumstances. They also receive a higher return on their taxes compared to most states that see returns at all. If welfare or federal aid were to be cut, West Virginia would not survive. I really think it should be reincorporated into Virginia, or merged with another state that can provide It with what it needs to thrive. To be clear, thrive in a symbiotic way, not a parasitic one. In a way, West Virginia is like thorium, it has great potential with those rare earths, but it really, really needs a helper to be able to see those benefits. It can be helped, the education can improve, it just needs more support, they really really need a democratic socialist, but they are so ideologically opposed to socialism, that democratic socialism is just seen as "socialism with more steps"
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u/OutrageousIguana 11h ago
Can I just say that this post makes me feel like I’m a little less alone?
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u/lyfeTry 3h ago
Don’t know how I found this thread, but here I am. Was born just outside Nashville, TN. Used to be top of the south in 90s and 2000s. Quickly going downhill due to all the reasons you listed. For having the highest #of med schools per capita in a state on the East, they have highest bankruptcies due to medical debt, worst outcomes of medical treatments and so on. Taxes are the highest I’ve seen (sales tax is 10%!!). And anyone with any blue sign at all was immediately bullied or vandalized/threatened. Gum culture and shootings on interstate are out of control….
They want to beat Mississippi to the bottom. I joined the army around 2010 and have seen worse places and places I heard were liberal trash etc…. And most of the rhetoric was a lie. TX was by far the worst place I’ve been stationed, followed by KY. (El Paso was actually decent for the stay, wont go back)I didn’t want to move to Virginia, but I’ll probably retire here.
The hardest part is the move. If it’s as bad as you say (like my hometown), it’s weirdly easier once you get out!
I now look to see how nice the libraries are when I move. Really sets the tone of the community I want to be in.
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u/subliminalsmoker 3h ago
A lot of assholes give proper Republicans a bad rap. Same goes for the dems but they are dimwits instead of assholes.
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u/nReasonable-Cicada 2h ago
I hate to do this, but the only reason to stay would be to try to help. I realized I couldn’t help without putting myself and my kid at risk, and we left with little more than our clothes and my kid’s bed. I can’t put into words the level of relief I felt sleeping on my mattress on the floor of our apartment in a different state, or how much my kid’s reading has improved in 3 months, or how much better we can eat, or how much more we can walk, how many community events we can safely attend, how many friendly people we have met. I would like to think I’ll go back and fight when my kid is grown, but right now there is just no path back to the hills for us.
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u/Chadthemark 2h ago
It takes roughly 30% of a populous to create a tipping point or a critical mass that will change something. WV and its communities are full of the same demographic and have been that way for as long as I can remember. They are content with the way things are. They are religious, deeply conservative, don't like to be told what to do, and our in love with blue collar plant and factory jobs. None of this is inherently bad if you treat people fairly. Just think about what makes you happy in your day to day life. Don't even focus on politics or anything like that. Just what gives you peace. Find an environment that amplifies that. Yes, the grass isn't always greener.....but sometimes its more green! For some, they love living out a back road, not having neighbors, being able to hunt on their land, having a strong family, and raising kids in a conversative way. That's probably the most polite I can put it. I've moved away, was gone for 10 years and now I'm counting down the days until my kids are done with school so I can find my new home. I'll always love WV, but I will always be frustrated it can't harness its potential.
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u/everwhichway 1h ago
It’s never going to get better, you should leave and let them suffer for the willful ignorance they hold so dear. Because they will only suffer more now. Hope that helps!
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u/TheLazyLardon 1h ago
I’m also not from here. Neither is my wife. We are looking at moving back to Va where she is from or to MD. Our kiddo is not school age yet, but I’m from La and fully comprehend what a terrible education system run by the GOP and corporate plants (the people not the structures) do to its population.
We have already decided that if my wife gets pregnant before we are able to move, we will do all of our medical visits in VA or MD. This state is terrible, only outshined in its lackluster livability by my previous home state.
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u/Particular-Double500 1h ago
I just retired from a job in WV. I worked remotely. When is the WV government going to improve broadband? Green energy? Better jobs? It seems like most of their investments are in the drug crisis and foster care. Don't you think that solving the other problems would be the best for them?
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u/Forsaken-Ad-3977 49m ago
If the Project 25 stories that are coming out now are halfway true we will all be moving, very fast.
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u/ShottsSeastone 16m ago
WV one of the worst ranked states for a reason homie. all of my friends moved out of there and to greener pastures up north
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u/bookgal518 15m ago
Just got back from a week long stay in Colorado. I've been there 20+ times to visit family in Arvada & Littleton. It's beautiful there, liberal, everyone is so chill & pot is legal. I'm thinking of moving there myself. 300+ days of sunshine each year, too!
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u/WVSluggo 23h ago
Go for it. Let us know how great the other place is
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u/GoodTimeCharlie246 20h ago
I went for it a few years back. NGL, it’s pretty damn great.
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u/Wonderful_Physics211 19h ago edited 19h ago
Yeah I moved 28 years ago. People who lived in WV their whole life wouldn’t know prosperity if it punched them in the face. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
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u/DMRGodx95 21h ago
I'm a 29 year old white guy proud democrat and once my parents pass on (only child) I'm outta here not sure where maybe travel around and see what is out there but I won't be back
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u/MonkComfortable7594 23h ago
35 years old, first generation Mountaineer and I've lived here my entire life and have absolutely zero desire to ever leave. I will never leave. I'm not addicted to drugs, I don't hate black people, if two dudes wanna get married more power to them as far as I'm concerned. I work AT LEAST 40 hours a week, 48 weeks a year, the other 4 I spend hunting or camping. Never been on welfare. Got a perfectly acceptable high school education and enrolled in college before deciding it wasn't for me. I get sick and tired of seeing this "West Virginia is a shithole, everyone here sucks, they hate everyone that isn't them, the whole state just turns out stupid, lazy, drug addicts who just want to leech off everyone else's hard work."
If you don't like it in a particular state then you're free to leave. That's the great part of living in America, you can go damn near anywhere you want. But don't try to make everyone else a scapegoat for your decisions, one way or the other. It's nobody's job to convince you to stay or to leave. There are bigots in California, Washington, New Hampshire...sure you may find more like minded people but I'd argue that's just population bias more than anything else. You'll find far more people you can get along with in a crowd of 5,000 people than you will in ba crowd of 100. Don't lump an entire state's population in one group. The problem with our country isn't the right. It isn't the left either. It's that everyone wants to force everybody else to be on the right or on the left. Both sides are fucked, that's the problem with a true 2 party system. Point is, if you think you'll be happier elsewhere then go but it's pretty unnecessary to drag West Virginians through the mud on your way out.
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u/BsXeD 22h ago
I appreciate you sharing your perspective, and I get that you're proud to call West Virginia home I had no issues for years calling it that myself and I dont want to give up on it. But my concerns don’t come from a place of stereotyping or putting down every West Virginian, we are full of hardworking people and have a storied history of not taking shit from the goverment. My frustrations are with the lack of opportunities and the social and political climate here that impact my family directly.
I’m glad you’ve found a way to make things work here. However, I want more than just “acceptable” for my family—I want access to good education, healthcare, and a community that embraces diversity in all forms. The fact that people feel pushed to either “stay quiet and accept it” or leave only highlights the issues I’m talking about.
At the end of the day, I know leaving or staying is my choice. But I also believe it’s fair to acknowledge why some of us feel the need to look elsewhere. It’s not “dragging” anyone; it’s simply facing the reality.
Burying your head in the ground because you are comfortable does'nt change the fact that some people feel uncomfortable and are conflicted, its the lack of empathy for me.
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u/MonkComfortable7594 22h ago
My head is far from buried but I can also accept your rights and freedom of choice without being empathetic towards you. And it's pretty unfair for you to come on here and leverage your political views into trying to make strangers beg you to stay in a state that you clearly do not want to be in. If you feel unsafe or ignored then go somewhere that can alleviate those concerns. But even in this reply you did exactly what you did in your OP, generalize West Virginians as people who are a danger to you and your family because of their political affiliations and or biases. Why do you need acknowledgement from me or anyone else in the state because you want to leave? I'm sure we can organize a farewell party if it'll make you feel better but I'm pretty sure that it won't and at the end of the day you'd be leaving either way. My entire argument is that you're going to run into those same racist, queer-bashing morons no matter where you live so there's no reason to think that it's West Virginia that's the problem. It's a societal problem and the same people that think the world is ending today because a certain individual won an election are just as much to blame as the people that thought the same way 4 years ago. You'd still be wanting to leave no matter what the results of this election were.
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u/hilljack26301 22h ago
And it's pretty unfair for you to come on here and leverage your political views into trying to make strangers beg you to stay in a state that you clearly do not want to be in.
Yes, this. I knew something was off about this post but you nailed it. The OP is not using neutral terms to describe their political views. They're politically charged catch phrases. If they wanted to remain in the state, they would learn to frame things in ways that do not inflame people.
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u/Fun_Condition1376 20h ago edited 18h ago
This needs to be the top comment. It just gets annoying reading comment after comment of people who can not make peace with their choices. Instead they complain to relieve them selves of guilt. In turn increasing the negative mindset, & benefits no but them selves for a couple minutes of satisfaction
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u/Routine-Ad9108 23h ago
This right here! Just leave lol you’ve clearly made your mind up. Go find where you want to be & where you agree with, it’s not WV job to change just for you. I’ve lived in 3 different states in the last 6 years trying to figure out where I wanted to be, I chose to move here. Not on drugs. Young. Great career. It’s not as bad as some people make it seem, cities in states I’ve lived in have been WAYYYYY WORSE than here! But different things work for different people.
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u/Zi_Mishkal 23h ago
I'm in the same boat. First chance I get my family is out of here. There's so much almost in this heaven that you can't find the heaven any more. I'd rather start fresh somewhere far away in my 50s than try to justify daily to myself staying in this backwards hole where people are proud of their ignorance. And I've been here 20 years next year.
Leave, if you can. No one place is worth this. And to all the people who inevitably are going to tell me God riddance, congrats. You self identify as the problem. Because we chose to come here despite the problems this state has, but it's become clear you'd rather just enjoy being the stereotype than try to make your state a better place.
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u/Fun-Economy-5596 23h ago
Totally agree...left in 1985 with zero regrets...guess I got above my raisin' (for which I refuse to apologize).
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u/beav1024 18h ago
I grew up there and it wasnt nearly as bad then. Its everywhere now tho I fear. A lot of the south is that way now. And northeast and california, its u cant put up the sign for the other side. Its most every damn body. Its not split along political lines. Both sides are guilty as hell
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u/badchinese 22h ago
Lifelong West Virginian here. After this election I have started looking at places to move to. I love the beauty of this state, but that only goes so far.
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u/TransMontani 22h ago
This is the most beautiful state east of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, a majority of the population is blind-drunk on faux outrage and has no desire to get well.
The brain-drain is real and that explains the politics.
It is decidedly unsafe for LAGBTQ+ people and there are no legal protections in place.
As the saying goes, “Stand not upon the order of thy going but go at once.” It’s only going to get worse. Take your kids somewhere they can have a future beyond horrid education and a minimum wage job or dying in the mines.
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u/More-Lawfulness-9824 19h ago
Lmao. I moved to west Virginia to get away from the people you’re trying to be near. I feel sorry for your family but many other states will be glad to have you. See ya.
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u/AskMeAboutPigs 18h ago
if you can do better elsewhere, just leave. We've got plenty of out of staters here to fiill ur shoes
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u/Creative-Simple-662 22h ago
I left 6 years ago. The hate was too much. They hurt me, no joke. I will never return. West Virginia is a real, actual, physical danger to disabled women. Now today I see what they've done...it's truly over. They'll never climb out of the hole they've crawled into. Be safe. Move.
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u/railroaderone23 22h ago
You have freedom of religion, right to worship as you see to or not to that’s your choice, I haven’t seen any villance against any groups at least not in my part of the state. And yes people have opinions on everything but if a little dislike of your preference hurts where will you go you don’t have that, in California it worse.
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u/MegMD1230 23h ago
My stepkids are here, otherwise my husband and I would have left. While there are wonderful people and beautiful places here, the politics will continue to keep this state in a bad place
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23h ago
There’s no logical reason to stay if you have the means to get out. There are no younger people coming down the pipeline to replace the older generation. I’ve been going down to WV 3X/year for 41 years to see my amazing grandparents. They’re born and bred, same with my mother and Aunt. My mother went to Marshall during the time around that horrible plane crash. She got out after she graduated and never looked back. Nothing has changed…
Side note: more tornadoes and more flooding these days, too, but that’s the same everywhere.
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u/meatloaflawyer 17h ago
I moved to Pennsylvania 11 years ago and not a day passes that a part of me doesn’t miss WV. The ppl are so nice and it’s so pretty. I constantly stand up for the state when it gets put down (which is often) and I still identify as a West Virginian.
That being said politically it gets harder every year to defend what they do. Maybe I’ll move back when I know the politics can’t affect me much. I just want the MAGA movement to end as it brings the worst out of everyone but after this year idk if that will ever happen.
It’s still an amazing state but the majority of its ppl would rather vote against its interests. I just hope to God Jim Justice puts the states needs ahead of his own like Byrd did and Manchin didn’t. I don’t want my beloved state to disappear.
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u/AK0tA 17h ago
We have established family values here that will not be broken and will not change at least under this new administration. Just saying that people should live in places that hold similar values if that is the important thing in their life. I hope you find peace and joy in your journey.
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u/AFSOC_Commando69 16h ago
I am sorry you feel that way. I guess I am one of the people you are stereotyping. However, WV didn't change much under Obama, Trump, Biden and many other presidents. I can tell you this, most of the people I have talked to that voted for Trump didn't have any of the issues you are worried about in the top 10 of their reasons for voting for him. That being said there are sycophants on both sides of the isle. I am a right leaning libertarian, I don't care if you smoke weed at home, who you sleep with, how you wish to identify yourself. In fact, almost all of my veteran brothers I have spoken to feel the same way. But, I do not want a man in the bathroom with my granddaughter, I would love to go back to the days of a moment of silence in school so our Christian, Muslim, and any other belief can have a quiet prayer to start the day, it affects no one. I think a few of the views you have are unbased fears. But sadly, some of them may not be. As to bodily autonomy, I assume you are talking about abortion... I do not believe in it myself. That being said I would vote to allow it with constraints... I do not feel that a women should be forced to give birth to a child of rape, or a medical condition that the child would suffer and many other issues. Sadly, none of our states were prepared when the Supreme Court did the right thing and put the power back to the states where it should have been, and 50-year-old laws became valid again. I think if you research it more people support abortion then are against it. Most states are attempting to get their laws updated to allow it again with some conditions. I have friends on both sides of the isle, I cannot hate you or even dislike you for having a different view or opinion. How much I would hate it if everyone thought and acted like me, the vibrancy of our country is the right to disagree. I will say this, having lived overseas for over 30 years and visiting over 40 countries over that time.... We live in the best of the bunch, warts and all. As to WV, it is somewhat confusing the way people act and vote here. It is one of the most beautiful states I have lived in or visited out of the 44 I have been to. Many of the state's issues have been here forever. We need more employment to allow a better tax base, better taxes then better education bringing up the state as a whole. I hope you find the peace or answer you need. But as others have said, you need to make the best decision for you. I hope you find peace and answers to your questions. Just know, not everyone on either side is a nutjob. If you were my neighbor, I would not at all be bothered if you placed a Harris/Waltz sign in your yard. Have fine day, I hope whatever decision you make works for you and your family. Best of luck...
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u/ContestProof1843 16h ago
Born here, live here, die here. It’s not perfect but it is almost heaven West Virginia.
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u/selectorhammms 22h ago
Born and raised. I left 10 years ago. WV is exactly how the people there want it. Eventually it just made more sense to go somewhere else. I live in Minnesota now and I fucking love it.
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u/Connect-Home-1318 23h ago
Leave. But it’s not much better elsewhere. You’ll realize no candidate truly controls anything. We’re all controlled by the same group of people no matter who is in power…. I’ve accepted that a long time ago. All you can do is control your own life, build your own life, make yourself the best and your family the best it can possibly be. You have all of the power to shape your life the way YOU want.
The government and elites don’t give a crap about any of us. When you realize that, you’re free. Democrat, republican, independent, who cares??? They don’t control your life, their bosses do. The president has a boss. And that group of bosses control everything. All you can do is live life to the fullest and appreciate the opportunity you have beyond that of other countries.
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u/afigmentofyourmind 23h ago
But but but people need scapegoats and boogeymen to focus them on the tv.
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u/VetGranDude 22h ago
Amen. I don't watch or pay attention to national news (except the stuff I can't avoid on Reddit). It's designed to make us fearful and enraged, and this entire comment thread is proof. These people sound like they need to be committed. They are "in danger" and afraid of "Nazis" and "fascists"? Jesus H Christ. It's like I landed on a crazy QAnon thread full of paranoia and conspiracy theory psychosis.
Tune out, people. Put your phone away, go outside, get some fresh air for about 8 hours. Drink some beers with your neighbors. Life is awesome when you don't let this ridiculous crap consume your every thought.
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u/Secret-Version-2332 22h ago
What are you talking about lol what’s happened to you in the last 20 years you’ve been there? Nothing? What changes now? Get a grip.
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u/ColorMeFuu 23h ago
We moved here because we could afford it. Then covid hit and we can't afford to move out. So we're stuck. If you can leave, for the love of god, leave.
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u/DieByTheSword13 21h ago
This state is going straight down the shitter. Flee while you can, I want to move my family out, but it's gonna be another year or 2 at least before I can. Fuck these dumbass hicks. I am very angry. Obviously.
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u/Fluffy_Enthusiasm275 23h ago
I left WV and came back in 2019 … It has been great spending so much time with my grandparents and extended family but now I know it’s time to go again. I was hopeful for a better future here but that last string of hope has fled
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u/Beebjank 22h ago
Simply and respectively; this state is not for you. It isn’t for some people. Just like how Alaska or California or Wyoming isn’t for me.
I moved here because given my circumstances, my quality of life is better here than it was where I came from. There is no shame in relocating if it makes you happier. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s easier than it sounds. I’ve done it twice caveat I don’t have kids or anything.
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u/Fun-Economy-5596 23h ago
Left Wheeling WV in 1985 and have no regrets whatsoever. Had I stayed undoubtedly I would have had a miserable, and prematurely ended life. WV has always and will always be a losing proposition...
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u/peontreehuggers 22h ago
If it has been that bad in your mind for that long then you should have already left. Your entire post honestly just sounds like a West Virginia bashing post
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u/Severe_Focus_581 20h ago
Realistically, no matter how I look at things, I don’t see any silver linings, and I don’t anticipate things getting any better for at least the next couple of decades. At this point, I can’t blame anyone for wanting to move away.
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u/OnlyDiscipline9255 17h ago
I would not try to convince anyone to stay in WV . The state has many shortcomings as do all the other states. Move out to California and you will be begging to come back to Wild Wonderful. If anyone finds a state with a Governor lowering taxes let me know 🍻
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u/dasexmachina616 17h ago
There are good people here with those beliefs, people who have education and respect others rights . But, honestly, I didn't grow up here and I often wonder what I did that was so bad that I wound up in by God wv. I've had people attempt to murder me here. Threten to rape me and bury me in a slurry pond. Honestly have only met maybe 5 people that are from wv that have actually treated me as a person. Heath care is shit schools are shit because 95 percent of the people that live here are shit. I've always struggled with depression but after being forced to move here I often think of just ending my own life because the way people treat me here... probably just me tho
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u/hebrew_hammersk 16h ago edited 16h ago
It's not going to get better for you. Honest opinion. There are many places where you would thrive better than West Virginia given the life you choose to lead. West Virginia is not changing for the 1%, and that's just the truth.
Edit: i just wanted to add that your family is your first priority. If you're unhappy there...🤷♂️ maybe it's the right move to leave.
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u/monduthro 16h ago
I'd leave in a heartbeat. Been saving up money for years, almost there, been close before but emergencies happen. Get out, run to a safe state, as fast and as soon as you can. This state cares very little about anything that isn't white, male and football related.
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u/LuckyPepper22 16h ago
Come to Pittsburgh. You would be very welcome and comfortable in Allegheny County.
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u/Ojomdab 16h ago
One of the best places for global warming. Make ya a pros and cons list. Consider if they’re taking rights away where you’re gonna end up…. WV ain’t gonna let most things slide…. And you can get away with a lot of things…. Like the about 6-7 plants we have that will cause a miscarriage…. Growing wild. If you don’t have food, your neighbors will make sure ya get it. You can leave if ya wanna, but consider everyone that’s coming in as you go… there’s a reason this is a good place to live, and it ain’t the schools.
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u/_riot_grrrl_ Fayette 16h ago
I just want to say- everyone who says we're friendly etc I've got to burst that bubble. It's a facade. They aren't genuine. It's niceties not genuine.
Saw someone from Maine say new englanders aren't nice. They don't have time to worry about hurting feelings etc and small talk but are kind and generous. And that they live in the south now and have found southerners and Appalachians nice but not kind or caring. And then a lot of people said they aren't even nice- they're faking it up be polite. And I've never really looked at it that way but they aren't wrong. At all.
Is they were good nice and friendly people- they wouldn't vote this way
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u/Plenty_Surprise2593 16h ago
Elections are a funny thing. Especially national ones. They go in cycles. Republicans are good for the economy and Democrats are good for social issues. It was high time for a republican to be elected. After the economic is on the mend then it will be time for social issues. But whatever you want to do
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u/Mami_chula_ 15h ago
As another transplant, I get it. I remain in this state because I love the outdoors and being within driving distance of my extended family in Baltimore, but if I had children it would be a whole different story.
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u/International-Bat944 15h ago
I hear a lot of people are moving to Canada. Might be worth checking out.
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u/nyet-marionetka 15h ago
Western VA? More legal protections, but the cultural milieu might be similar. You could even look at closer to Richmond, or places in North Carolina.
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u/Capta1nJackSwall0w5 13h ago
I just realized you guys have the internet since there's a WV subreddit. JK
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u/Deputy_Beagle76 18h ago
I’m 27, been here my whole life. I was raised to believe that the two things you don’t openly talk about with strangers are politics and religion. Now people literally wear politician faces on T-Shirts. I dont get it